Pounder laundrying-machine.



R. C. FRITZ. POUNDER LAUNDIIYING MACHINE.

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APPLICAHON FILED SEPT-24,1914.

Patented Mar. 28,1916.

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-ROBERTCARL FRITZ, or WATERLOO, mvEnrooL, ,ENGLAnn POUNDEB LAUNDBYING-MACHINE.

To all '.whomiz't may concern Be .1t knownthat I, ROBERT CARL FRITZ, a sub]ect of the King of Great Britain, and

na resident of lYVaterlod, Liverpool, England,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Founder Laundrying'- Machines, of which the-following is a specification.

, This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to disinfecting,` washing, starching, dyeing, andlike' machines,

to construct and operate,than machines at present in use.

In the following description of the machine the improvements under this inven' tion are comprised, and are .described in a` preferred form fora perforated double l pounder washing machine, but alterations and modifications may be made to adapt it to various purposes. c

According to thls invention, the machine comprises a vessel or cylinder of suitable material such as wood, iron, ,or .the like. which will not injure the materials t`o be washed or treated, and which'may be of any convenient size. The vessel isprovided with a reciprocating pounder consisting of aj perforated disk adapted to be moved up and down in the vessel b v `any suitable system of cranks or levers. -Mounted above the perforated pounder is a smaller disk which is/notA perforated, but'which is' adapted to a'ct as a valve to the central perforations of the reciprocating pounder, such upper disk beingof smaller .diameter than the perforated pounder and so mounted and supported with reference to the pounder that it mayhave a slight vertical playl relatively thereto, so that on the downward stroke the 'disk valve Iis moved upward by `the pressure of the water in the vessel rising :through the perforations of the pounder, thegreater portion of the water so passing being defiected sidewise against the walls ofthe vessel, and thus preventing splashing. On the upward movement the disk valve closes on the perforated pounder and4 creates a Specification of Letters Patent. k Pmi-@mmm Mayu 2g, 1916.,

Application filed September 24, 1914. Serial No. 863,394.

,partial vacuum beneath the perforated pounderand in they central vzone ofl thevessel,l thel water passing downwardly through the peripheral perforations of the pounder and causing the clothes, which have been compressed on the downward stroke, to follow the upward movement of the pounder. In this way the clothes are alternately compressed, 'and released and distended, and a thorough permeation of the clothes by the water. effected.

Various types of machines in accordance with this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, vFigure 1. being a vertical section through a crank operated machine, the vessel for the clothes being pivotally mounted so as towoscillate. Fig. 2. is a side View of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3. is avertical section through a modified form` of 'the machine in which the reciprocation of the pounder is effected by a'lever, Fig. 3a being afragmentary detail showing the pounder of themachine in Fig. 3. at the uppermost p oint of its stroke. Fig. .4. is an outside view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 3., showing the pounder `and operating lever thrown overto give access to the interior of the vessel. Fig. 5. is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the vessel combining the'crank arrangement shown in Fig. 1. with the fixed or non-pivotal vessel of Fig. 3. Figs. 6. and 7. are fragmentary detail view-s of lthe swivel connection for enabling the pounder in Fig. 1. to be swung to-one side for thefremoval of the clothes. Figs. 8. and 9. are fragmentary side'and endviews, respectively, of a spring connection for fitting to the pounder opel ating rod or rods, and Fig. 10. isa detail in Section of the means providedfor enabling the pounder rod and its operating inecha-A nism to. be readily connected or disconjnected.

Referring first to the forms illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine comprises a vessel or cylinder 1 of some suitable material such as wood, iro'n, copper, brass, or the like, of any convenient size; the vessel being provided with a flat,'concave, or corrugated bottom 2. In the form shown this bottom 2`is concave, and is provided with a similarly concave detachable false bottom 3, which is perforated and sits loosely by its peripheral flange on the fixed bottom 2, so as to leave a space between. The vessel may be provided with any suitable means for heating the water therein. In the form shown, this is effected by a gas burner 4, and

.top being provided with a manhole or pivoted lid 16 to give access to the interior, means lbeing provided such as the locking eye 16a, for holding such lid Aclosed when the machine is in operation. The rods 12 are connected to a perforated pounder or disk 17 which, in the forni shown, is concave, and mounted above this perforated pounder 17 is a disk valve 18 which is not perforated, and is so mountedI above the pounder 1,7, say upon a flanged stud 19, or the like, that it is capable of slight vertical play relatively to such pounder. This disk valve y18 may be of metal, india-rubber, or

vany other suitable material which will per-` mitit to close on the inner perforations of the pounder and act as a valve thereto. The rods 12 are, preferably, connected to the pounder 17 through swivel connections 20,

shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7, the rods 12 being pivotally connected to projections 12a on the pounder'17` and provided with a' sleeve 21, which when slid up to the position shown in Fig. 7 enables the pounder to be swung around andthe clothes to be removed or inserted beneath the pounder, the sleeve 21 when slid down over the straightened v pivotal joint and resting on the pounder 17 as shown in Fig. 6, acting to lmaintain a rigid connection between the rods 12 and the pounder 17.

The clothes are inserted between the pounder 17 andthe false bottom 3, and the pounder 1s then reciprocated in the vessel 1 by operating the hand wheel 10, the vessel being filled with water, which is heated by the gas burner 4, or other heating means. The clothes will thus be alternately cornpressed betweenthe pounder 17 and the false bottom 3 and released.` On the down- Ward compression stroke the valve disk 18 will rise from the pounder 17 owing to the water passing up through the perforations `in the.latter. On the return upward stroke Vthe valve disk 18 closes on the ,pounder y17', masking the inner perforations and creating a partial vacuum in the central zone of the vessel, the water passing down through the outer perforations` in the l pounder 17 and entering among the clothes from the side. lifting them and causing them to follow the upward movement of the pounder 17. In this way a complete permeation ofthe Aclothes is effected, and the 'water thoroughly circulated therethrough.

By fitting a false perforated bottom- 3 the clothes are kept out of direct contact with the fixed bottoni 2 of the vessel and thus prevented from being`burnt or damaged,

while a further advantage accruing fromthe machine may be still further assured bv .7e chine. This flexibility or resilient action of providing a spring connection in the rods 12 such as illustrated in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. In this arrangement the rods are divided as shown, one end socketed at 12b and provided with a compression spring 12c engaged by the other end of the rod 12, a pin 12d connected to the upper rod being slidably guided in slots 12c in thesocket. `With such a resilient fitting, should too great a quantity of clothes be inserted in the niachine, no harm would result. Wringing or mangling rollers may be added to' the machine if desired. The waste valve 21 is provided for running off the water. `Owing to there being no scrubbing or rubbing action on the clothes, but only a compressing and4 releasing action, wear and tear on -the articles is avoided. v l

In the form shown in F igs.'3, 3a, and 4, the pounder 17 is operated by a single rod 12 coupled to a lever 22 pivoted at 23 to a standard 24 bolted to the'receptacle 1, which in this form is fixed, that is, not oscillating. A balance weight 25 is pivotally connected at 26 to the lever, 22, which is operated by a handle 27. By working the lever 22 up and down about the pivot 23, a similar reciprocating action ofthe pounder is obtained to that previously described. In order' to enable the hand part 27 ofthe operating lever to be folded up out of the waywhen not in use, it may be pivoted at 28 to the lever 22, and rest when in operation upon a pin 29, such connection, while enabling the ios lever to be reciprocated, permitting of it being folded up to the dotted position. In this form the spring foot connection 12b shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is preferably fitted. The detail view,' Fig. 3a, shows the pounder raised, the disk valve closed, and the clothes distended in following the raised pounder. To

, provide for complete removal of the pounder ance weight lever at 26 to the operating lever' 22 the whole pounder operating mechanism to the lever may be swung out about its pivot 23 to the position shown in Fig. 4. rIhe machine may be carried on suitable rollers, 27.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the 'crank shaft 8, operated as previously deyreceptacle 1, but if desired by forming the pivot 23 at the point a indicated in Fig. 5

and pivotally mounting. the receptable 1,

i then by disconnecting the socket connection soV 12e and withdrawing the pounder and its rod 12, the articulation 31 will permit of the receptacle being canted over for emptying the water.

I claim:

l. A washing machine comprising in combination, a cylinder having a stationary convexed bottom, a removable perforated conveXed bottom within the cylinder, means for supporting the removable bottom in spaced relation with the stationary bottom, a perl forated reciprocating pounding member of a diameter equal to the diameter of the interior of the cylinder, a reciprocating valve member of less diameter than the pounding member positioned above the pounding member and adapted to move into engagement therewith on the up stroke of the pounding member.

2. A washing machine comprising in combination, a cylinder having a conveXed bottom, a removable convexed bottom in the cylinder, 'the removable conveXed bottom having perforations to allow fluigl to flow therethrough, a conveXed reciprocating pounding member perforated and operating above the removable bottom, means adjacent the peripheryv of the reciprocating pounding member for moving the same within the cylinder, and a convexed valve member of less diameter than the 'diameter of, the pounding member, means for supporting the valve'member with relation to the pounding member, whereby the same will move into and out of engagement therewith for closing substantially all of the perforations of the pounding member on the .up stroke thereof. In testimony whereof I aiiix my` signature in presence of two witnesses.

. ROBERT CARL FRITZ.

Witnesses; u

-M. la. MITCHELL,

A. J. DAvms. 

